Struggling Kings Lose In Nashville 2-1

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Pekka Rinne made 30 saves in leading the Nashville Predators to a 2-1 victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Monday night.

Roman Josi and Patric Hornqvist scored for Nashville, which has won four of its last five.

Dustin Brown had the lone goal for Los Angeles. The sliding Kings have lost five of six. They had defeated Nashville in their last three trips to Music City.

Rinne's 35 wins this season are a career high and lead the NHL. The Predators have won 17 of their last 21 home games and are 10-0-2 in their last 12.

Josi scored the game's first goal with 1:33 left in the opening period.

From the right point, Josi sent a relatively harmless wrist shot toward the Los Angeles net. As the puck approached goaltender Jonathan Quick, it glanced off the tip of Kings defenseman Drew Doughty's stick and between Quick's pads before trickling across the goal line.

It was the rookie defenseman's fourth goal of the season. He has four points in his last three games.

Hornqvist doubled the Nashville lead early in second,capping a wild series of events.

Newly acquired Kings forward Jeff Carter's shot from the left circle rang off Rinne's right goal post. Nashville took the puck up ice, and David Legwand's shot from the left side caromed off of the backboards and onto the stick of Hornqvist just off the right post. He had an easy tap-in for his 18th goal of the season.

Hornqvist played his second game after missing five with an upper-body injury.

Legwand had two assists in the game.

Brown drew Los Angeles within one with 3:24 remaining in the third period when his wrist shot from the left side caromed off Nashville defenseman Ryan Suter and by Rinne.

The Predators played without newly acquired forwards Andrei Kostitsyn and Paul Gaustad, acquired Monday in separate deals before the league's trade deadline. Both players are expected to meet the team Tuesday in Carolina and be available for that night's game against the Hurricanes.

NOTES: Los Angeles D Willie Mitchell played in his 700th career NHL game. The Kings had to kill off just one Nashville power play. It was the third time in Los Angeles' last five games when the Kings were 1-1 on the penalty kill. Nashville LW Sergei Kostitsyn has seven points in seven career games against Los Angeles.